Tomorrow night, my baby brother Jacob graduates from high school. It's cliché, but honestly, it's so hard to believe he's already graduating. I vividly remember when my parents told us they were pregnant with Jacob. I was so mad because I thought it was another girl and that I'd have to share my room with yet another person. ;) Jacob was 11 lb 11 oz when he was born, and my parents hadn't found out the gender, so when he entered this world, the doctor said "It's a boy! It's a BIG boy!" My mom didn't believe the doctor because she'd had so many girls (there are 6 girls and 2 boys in our family).

When my sister was at Riley Hospital with Leukemia, my parents stayed with her and all of us kids got split up between family members. Jacob was only a year old and I was a junior in high school. We both stayed with my grandparents, so I had the opportunity to help take care of my baby brother, which girls tend to love anyhow, but he was a super cute kid, so it was especially awesome.

Jacob is now 6 ft. 3 in. and towers over me (I'm only 5 ft tall), but he's still my baby brother. He's an amazing athlete and is going on to play college basketball for Indiana Tech. I'm so proud of what he's done and can't wait to see what he accomplishes over the next few years. Congratulations, Jacob! Good luck in your college career!

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. Isadora James

134.366 Baby Sister is finally beginning to know and smile at Big Sister's face, and Big Sister is becoming more loving toward Baby. I love to see the connection developing between the two of you and hope you always know just how lucky you are to have each other.

135.366 Teething. So we meet again. I hadn't expected to see you so soon.

136.366 You scaled the counter and spilled my drink, so you had to clean up your mess. You are pretty good at cleaning up your messes now, & you rarely make a fuss about it. Usually you freak out more than I do. "Oh no! I spillllled!!" you shout with wide eyes.

137.366 "Close your eyes and fill the skies with cotton candy clouds. Step inside the rainbow, ride where dragonflies sing loud. Colors falling, butterflies and flowers paint the ground." What a lucky girl you are to live in the semi-country with gorgeous sunsets. I looked out the window just as we were about to get you ready for bed, and when I saw the sunset, I threw on your rain boots, grabbed my camera, and we raced outside to play in the puddles & explore. Photographers' kids always get to do things that other kids wouldn't get to do. Sometimes a broken bedtime is worth it.

138.366 "We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." (Jawaharlal Nehru) We went adventuring, you and I. Playing hide and seek among the peony buds, hiding within the pine trees, running in the fog, and exploring with great walking sticks.

139.366 Each week I photograph Baby Sister on your bed to show how much she grows over the year. You were so upset that you couldn't be in her pictures, that here you can still see the teardrops sparkling on your cheek and in your eyes. But once you got to hop in too, you were all grins.

140.366 You want to help with everything these days, and you often push a chair over from the dining room table to the sink. Here Daddy is showing you how to peel a potato. He's a good teacher, that Daddy.

One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure. -William Feather

There was a thick fog one morning, and so we went on an adventure as if we were in a sort of storybook land, playing hide and seek among the peony buds, exploring pine tree hideouts, and jumping in puddles. I enjoy watching my little one explore and discover so much. You can see it in her eyes, the way she studies things. Never stop exploring, Sweet Girl. <3